Yathindra running transfer racket in Mysuru, alleges Pratap Simha

Mysuru: Former Mysuru MP Pratap Simha has once again launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s son Yathindra Siddaramaiah, accusing him of running an illegal transfer racket and misusing his father’s power.

Addressing media persons in Mysuru, Pratap Simha alleged that Yathindra has unofficially become the “transfer minister” of Karnataka. “He is openly misusing the authority of his father. Yathindra is doing things that are forcing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to bow his head in shame,” Simha charged.

Targeting the functioning of the district administration, Simha said that Mysuru district in-charge minister is hardly visible to the public. “The minister appears only three days in a year – Independence Day, Republic Day and Dasara. Apart from that, there is no governance in Mysuru. Development activities in the entire district have come to a standstill,” he alleged.

According to Simha, a large-scale transfer business is flourishing in Mysuru and Yathindra is at the centre of it. “Has Yathindra ever spoken even once about the development of Mysuru? All he is interested in is transfers and postings. The entire administration is being run as per his whims,” he questioned angrily.

He further compared Yathindra with Siddaramaiah’s elder son late Rakesh Siddaramaiah and said the Chief Minister never faced embarrassment because of Rakesh. “If Rakesh had been alive, he would never have put his father in such a humiliating situation. But Yathindra has misused his father’s power the most. Because of him, Siddaramaiah is facing embarrassment at every step,” he remarked.

Simha went on to claim that a “Yathindra tax” has become compulsory in the state administration. “For whom are you accumulating so much wealth? You already have houses, estates and properties. Your elder brother’s family is financially secure. Siddaramaiah, who scolds everyone else, is unable to question his own son on these issues,” he alleged.

Taking a political dig at the Congress government, the former MP said that if elections to BBMP or Mysuru City Corporation are held tomorrow, the Congress would be completely wiped out. “The Congress has no courage to conduct local body elections because it knows it will face a massive defeat,” he stated.

Referring to Yathindra’s recent statement that there will be no transfer of power in the state, Simha claimed that it reflects Siddaramaiah’s own thoughts. “What Siddaramaiah cannot say openly, he is making his son say it. The situation that Congress faced in Karnataka after Veerendra Patil’s tenure will repeat again now,” he warned.

Pratap Simha also alleged that the people of the state are frustrated with the present government and that the Congress leadership has lost moral authority. He demanded a thorough investigation into the alleged transfer racket in Mysuru and strict action against those involved.

The allegations made by the former MP are likely to trigger another political controversy in the state, with the BJP set to intensify its attack on the ruling Congress in the coming days.